'Correspondence with the Grand Sherif of Mecca' [‎4r] (7/16)

I
tf>n(l to benefit the rest of the kingdom, ami I shall continue to <lo so until it
pleases Cod to order otherwise.
In order to reassure Your ICxcellency, f can declare that the whole
country, together with those who you say are submitting themselves to
Turco-German orders, are all waiting the result of those negotiations, which
are dependent only on your refusal or acceptanceof the question of the limits
and iu your declaration of safeguarding t heir religion first and I lien the rest
of rights from any harm or danger.
W hatever the illustrious Government of Great Britain finds comformable
to its policy in this subject, communicate it to us and specify to us the
course we should follow.
In all cases it is only God s will which shall be executed and it is God
who is the real factor in everything.
With regard to our demand for grain for the natives and the monies
(surras) known to the Wakfs Ministry and all other articles sent here with
pilgrims' caravan, 0 High Excellency, my intention in this matter is to
conlirm your proclamations to the whole world, and especially to the Moslem
world, that your antagonism is confined only to the party which has usurped
the rights of Caliphate in which are included the rights of all Moslems.
Moreover, the said grain is from the special Wakfs, and has nothing to
do with politics.
If you think it should be, let the grain of the two years be transported
in a special steamer to Jeddah in an official manner, in the name of all the
natives as usual, and the captain of the steamer or the special Mamur
detailed as usual every year to hand it over on his arrival at the port will
send to the Governor of .leddah asking for the Mamur of the grain at
./ Jeddah or a responsible official to take over the grain and give the necessary
; receipt signed by the said Mamur, that is the Mamur of the grain himself.
He should make it a condition that he would (? not) accept any receipt but
that signed by this Mamur.
Let the captain of the steamer or the Mamur (detailed with the grain)
be instructed that if he fmds anything contrary to this arrangement he
should warn them that he will return home with the cargo. Thereupon
the Mamur and the special committee detailed with him, which is known as
the committee of the grain for the natives, will take over the grain in the
proper form.
Please accept my best regards and salutations,
ff von choose to send a reply to this please send it with bearer.
21)th Shawal 13:)3.
'Jth September 11)15.
I I.— From the High Commissioner, Cairo, to the Sherif of Mecca
(with titles).
I have received your letter of 19th (? 20th) Shawal with much pleasure
and your expressions of friendliness and sincerity have given me the
greatest satisfaction.
I regret that you should have received from my last letter the impression
that I regarded the question of the limits and boundaries with coldness and
hesitation ; such was not the case, but it appeared-. t<> me that the moment
had not yet arrived when they could be most profitably discussed.
> I have realized, however, from your last letter that you regard this
^(|uestion as one of vital and urgent importance. I have, therefore, lost no
time in informing the Government of Great Britain of the contents of your
letter and it, is with great pleasure that I communicate to you on their
behalf the following statement, which I am confident you will receive with
satisfaction.
The districts of Mersina and Alexandretta and portions of Syria lying to
the west of the districts of Damascus, llama, Moms and Aleppo cannot be
said to be purely Arab, and should be excluded from the proposed limits
and boundaries.
With the above modification, and without prejudice to our existing
treaties with Arab chiefs, we accept those limits and boundaries and, in